Quantum
by Scorpio-666
Summary: In the year 2084, explorers found technology ably to control the very fabric of space and time. They called it second greatest discovery of human history, the first was power of Atoms. The rest of the galaxy call in... Mass Effect.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

In the year of 2084 humanity learned it was not in the universe, Martian explorers from former USA, discovered ancient ruins of a spacefaring race, in the decades that followed these mysterious artifacts revealed fascinating new technologies allowing travel to further than ever before.

This new technology started humanity on a path to a new golden age for the people of earth, no longer was humanity constrained to it homeworld with it's diminishing resources, but could travel to the rest of the sol systems and harvest its raw materials.

The news of this discovery dominated the media, after being leaked by an unknown source, and raised questions about humanities purpose and existence and caused a great impact on human culture. The impact was most profound in the religious community, with established religions struggling to explain alien life, some tried to include this new information while others out right denied the evidence and even a few new cults/religions were formed.

Therefore with these new resources and the knowledge of alien life humanity reached an uneasy peace for the first time in years and in the years of national peace three new world powers arouse, the UNAS (united north american states), the NCR (New Chinese Republic) and the European Federation (EF), these three nations became to be known as the big three.

Within ten years of the access to the vast wealth of resources of the entire Sol system humanities planet became to recover, environmentally, socially and economically, this in turn started a new "gold rush" as thousands of people from all over the earth left their homeworld to start a new life in outer-space.

By 2118 humanity had started to again run low on resources in the Sol system, this time by a massive overpopulation of Earth and the dozens of small colonies and space habituates that had sprung up throw out the sol system in the 30 years following the first discovery of the Martian ruins.

Fortunately once again Mars provided the answer in the form of data leading to the third great discovery for humanity the Mass Relay network.

Within a year earths big three as well as several other organisations created the United Systems of Humanity charter to defend and expand human space.

The USH came into existence because the cost of establishing and defending an extrasolar colony was too great for big three let alone for any of the countries not included within the new world superpowers.

The fledgling USH main supporter was not the big three or even a group of smaller nations, but instead the global mega corporations. With the like of RobCo, Vault-tec and International Atomics, later to be know as interstellar atomics, financial support the USH was able to create a dedicated military force hired from a mixture of the best international private military companies and individual national military personal.

In the same year, 2119, the first manned exploration to the other side of the Charon relay leading to the rapid growth of humanity throughout the stars.

Humanities new goldern age came to violent end less that 100 years after the first discovery of the Martian ruins and less than 40 years after first using the mass relay.

In the year 2157 USH explorers, a small scout fleet only consisting of a cruiser, a three frigate wolf pack and a pair of cargo vessels, attempted to open a dormant relay.

Unfortunately for these explorers a group of alien spaceships, later to be know as a turian patrol fleet, witnessed the USH ships activating a dormant rely an action declared illegal by the citadel council, though humanity did not know this, and opened fire on the human ships.

Only one of the cargo ships manage to make it back to the closest human colony, Shanxi a large primarily NCR world, but this ship in its attempt to escape led the turians to humanities front door.

Shanxi only had a small space defence fleet assigned from the United Systems Interstellar Navies 3rd fleet, only 3 cruisers 6 frigates and a single space defence station.

While human starships of the late 2150's had thick armour, powerful energy weapons and an arsenal of nuclear missiles the USIN ships could not match the numbers if turian ships, the turian fleet consisted of 3 cruisers, 15 frigates and a dreadnought.

Turian warships mass accelerator cannons also had a greater range and rate of fire than their human counterparts. The space battle above Shanxi was as fast as it was bloody, the USIN scored several kills but were completely wiped out.

The turians proceeded to invade the colony of Shanxi, wrongly believing at the time that this was humanities homeworld and the ships they had destroyed being the bulk of humanities defences.

While the space battle had been quick and rather painless for the turian navy, the ground battle was a long and brutal slog for the troopers of the turian legion.

The United System Mobile Infantry, the dedicated USH ground forces, used the time bought by the USIN to dig in and prepare for the alien invasion.

As with the USIN the USMI was outnumbered by the Turian invaders, but they also had the advantage of being an entrenched local force who excelled at urban combat.

With the use of combat robots, power armour, handheld laser/plasma weapons, stealth suits and miniaturised nuclear ordinance General Williams, the leader of the USMI forces of Shanxi, fought a desperate guerrilla campaign to try to hold the planet in hopes of a quick counter-attack by the USIN.

These hopes where for nothing when the leader of the turians started to use orbital bombardment to take out the resistance, this one act caused thousands of casualties amounts the civilian population of the colony world.

With a mounting death toll, Williams did the only thing he could to try to save the lives of the men and women under his command as well as the civilians of Shanxi, he ordered a complete and unconditional surrender of his surviving forces, one month after the initial invasion of the colony.

The turians believed they had defeated the bulk of the humanities forces, began to suffer from logistical problems mainly supplies and personal, were caught unaware when a month later Admiral Kastanie Drescher of the entire USNI 2nd fleet launched a counter attack.

The second fleet, while not as technologically advanced as the turians, outnumber them with a dreadnought, two carries, fifteen cruisers, forty five frigates and hundreds of smaller vessels.

After a short and bloody battle the turians were evicted from human space, and started mobilising for a full scale war.

As the two sides prepared for war the rest of the citadel council took noticed and intervened negotiating a peace treaty that just about bought the war to an end.

The war had been costly for both sides with over 10,000 humans, mainly civilian caught in the crossfire with orbital bombardment, and almost 2000 turians killed or missing in action.

The peace talk, while ending the war, where not as successful as either side would of like.

While humanity signed the ceasefire they refused to join the citadel and the turians refused to pay any sort of reparations to the USH.

What followed were decades of cold war between the rapidly expanding humans and the increasingly fortifying council, while neither side were willing to fire the first shot in a war that would devastate both sides neither government were willing to back down.

As the USH began to expand into the Skyllian Verge, an area of space that the batarian had tried to claim as their own, the hegemony partitioned the council to declare the verge "an area of batarian interest".

The council refused citing that since humanity was not a member of the citadel they could not force the USH to do anything.

This decision led the batarians to withdraw themselves from council space and begin a proxy war with the humans for control of the verge.

The end to this proxy war became known as the Skyllian Blitz, the blitz started with a massive pirate/raider/slaver invasion of human world elysium secretly backed by the hegemony. While this attack was, brutal elements of the USMI manage to hole the invaders at bay until reinforcements arrive and drove the pirate/raider/slaver back into the terminus systems.

The blitz came to an end when humanity attacked and conquered the terminus world of torfan and breaking the back of the batarian backed forces on the border to USH space, this left the hegemony's only means of striking out at humanity by the use of individual and deniable terrorist attacks.

In the year 2181 a new project was proposed by the citadel council and back by human mega corporations to ease the tensions between the two powers.

This project was to design and produce a new ship build by the best minds of the turian hierarchy and the USH, after a year of negotiations the idea was given the green light by all involved.

Production of this new ship, the USS Normandy, was scheduled for completion by the beginning of 2184.

Unfortunately an unexpected find at the end 2183 on the world of eden prime means the USS Normandy had to start its shakedown cruise two months early.

What was supposed to be a simple retravel mission ended up becoming a lot more complicated.

 **A/N:** 11/04/2018

I've had the idea for this story in my head for a couple years now and finally decided to get this down on paper (sort of).

The basic premise of my story is something I proposed on the mass effect kink meme quite a long time ago.

The idea is what would happen if humans from Fallout (with their advanced retro-technology) didn't blow themselves straight to hell but manage to reach the stars and meet Mass Effects aliens.

I will be 100% honest with y'all, I'm not sure if this will go any further than this, but i just wanted/needed to get this out if my skull.

So anyway, thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this, let me know what you think; the Good, the Bad & the Ugly; it does not matter I would like to hear your opinions.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Beginnings

* * *

Arcturus station - presidential situation room - 2183

"Who are they sending?" asked the president of the United Systems of Humanity, John Henry Eden, a tall and well built middle aged man a combat veteran of the first contact war.

"Nihlus Kryik, Mr. president" answered a slim, olive skinned, short man in an expensive three piece suit, the ambassador of the USH to the citadel council, Donnel Udina.

"What do we know about this... Nihlus Kryik?" asked president Eden.

Instead of Udina another person replied, Director Jane Lynce of the DIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, an extremely average looking older women in a non-disciped black suit picked up and placed a simple black briefcase atop the highly polished hardwood table that the gathered men and women were seated around and pulled out an actual paper folder.

"Nihlus Kryik, aged 49, veteran of the FCW, former Centurion of the Hierarchy, a heavy weapons specialist and an agent of the office of special tactics and reconnaissance, protege of Saren Arterius, he's earned the name 'wraith of glory' amongst the Citizens of the citadel"

"Sounds fierce" President John Henry Eden chuckled.

"A SpecTRe's trouble, definitely one trained by the bloody talon" snarled a dark skinned USIN captain and former N7 David Anderson.

"Anderson, settle down" Rear Admiral Steven Hackett, a scared faced white haired veteran of the United Systems Interstellar Navy and the first contact war, warned.

"Sorry sir, I..." Captain David Anderson replied.

"The bloody Talon? What do you know about him captain" John Henry Eden asked.

"Well sir, I, along with an N7 heavy team and Kahlee Sanders, were tracking a rogue scientist by the name of Shu Qian who was selling our tech to Batarian interests on Camala."

The Captain took a deep breath.

"Well the bloody talon, was also tracking the deal and Saren hates us and are 'blacktech' as the council, which the council calls illegal even though their agents use it"

"That's a bit... unfair ain't it?" interrupted the president.

"Yes sir, as I was saying, Saran was tracking the deal and decided to stop it and he did. He killed the doctor, the buyers and the rest of my team"

"How the hell did one turian kill an entire N7 power armoured team" the president.

"Well sir" director Lynch said before David

"From our intelligence reports, SpecTRe armour and weapons are light-years ahead of anything else in the galaxy, even ours"

Ms. Lynch sighed and continued "The only advantage we've had so far is our micro-fusion tech, unfortunately it's only a matter of time before everyone else catches up"

"Goddammit *sigh* please continue Anderson" the president turned back to the captain.

"Not much more to say really sir, after the bloody talon killed everyone else, me and Sanders blew up an eezo, escaped Camala and it was covered up by all involved"

"If i may interrupt?" Rear Admiral Steven Hackett asked.

"Carry on" John Henry Eden replied to Steven Hackett.

"From every report we've seen, agent Arterius is the council's best operative and one of the bloodiest in the entire history of the organisation" after Steven had finished Lynch added.

"And if rumors are to be believed He also has a tendency to be in the vicinity when humans killers disappear in citadel space"

"So in other words, the council is sending a secret agent with a licence to kill. Trained by a human hating monster into are space" the legally elected leader of humanity said.

"Yes sir" Nodded Lynch.

Before anybody else could say anything, admiral Steven Hackett said "Well maybe we should send a killer of our own"

"I know just the person, a rather infamous N7" Captain David Anderson replied.

"You don't mean" ambassador Donnel Udina gasped

"I do, lieutenant commander Shepard, who just so happens to be here on Arcturus enjoying a little R&R" The former N7, looking smug.

"Captain, you are hereby ordered to retrieve Shepard and brief the commander on their new assignment" the most powerful human in the galaxy ordered.

"Yes sir!" after the captain stood, saluted and left the room, the President turned to the Admiral and said.

"I would suggest we move to DC4 Steven, my guts telling me something bad's going to happen"

"Me too sir, me too" Hackett replied.

* * *

Arcturus station - USMI barracks - 2183

The halls of the united systems mobile infantry barracks where almost deserted this late in Arctursus night cycle, except for the guards posted at regular intervals, a United Systems Interstellar Navy captain / retired N7 and a person singing to music blaring from the armoury.

 _To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day._

 _Hardly spoke to folks around him,_

 _didn't have too much to say,_

 _No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip._

 _The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,_

 _Big iron on his hip_

Just as the singer was about to launch into the next verse, captain David Anderson turned off the holotape player.

"Who's the dead man, that turned my music off..." an N7 spun around from the pet project the marine was working on, a highly customized Z-3 triple barreled heavy plasma SAW (squad automatic weapon)

with a look of murderous intent that change to a blinding smile upon seeing the gently smiling face of the former N7 and current USIN captain.

"Evening kid" the captain and former N7 greeted the younger N7 with a firm handshake.

"Anderson, long time no see" lieutenant commander Alyx "the amazon" Shepard, N7 marine and the butcher of torfan replied.

As the two N7 faced each other, captain David Anderson couldn't help but remember the first time he'd met the younger N7

* * *

 _Mindoir - 2170_

' _This isn't a warzone, it's a bloodbath' lieutenant commander David Anderson, N7 thought to himself as he tightened his grip on his Wattz 3000 DMR (designated marksman rifle) laser rifle, led a small scouting team towards the last burning farmhouse on this small frontier colony._

 _The United Systems Interstellar Navy and the United Systems Mobile Infantry had arrived too late to stop the slavers that had raised this small, almost defenceless colony to the ground._

 _The raiders that attacked the colony had capture nearly all one thousand humans on the planet, but the ones that hadn't had been killed, brutally. Many of the MI's had been shaken at the horrors they'd seen. One Lieutenant Zabaleta, had discovered an old man that had been skinned, had broken down and needed to be returned to the ship._

 _Even as all of this played through the N7's mind he, and his team, meticulously and systematically cover the ground leading to the farmhouse. As Anderson and his team reached the building, they all heard what could only be called wailing. It was a sound of sorrow, pair and heartbreak._

 _The lieutenant commander signalled for team to 'sweep and clear' the building as he approached the location of the sound, upon finding it David Anderson would never be able to forget the image._

 _In the corner of the farmhouses' living room a teenager, a barker skinned girl but probably no older than 15 or 16, sat with her back against the wall cradling two bloodied boys in her arms, both looked similar but a few years younger than the girl._

 _A quick glance around the room reviled two pieces of information to the N7, one was a framed portrait of the three children all smiles and laughter the second. The second was a dead batarian, a kitchen knife buried to the hilt in the slavers neck, most likely the slaver had been killed by the kid in front of the marine judging from the angle of the blow._

 _The N7 slowly approached the child and spoke quietly, softly "Kid, it's over, you safe now"_

" _He, he killed them... just shot'em... no rhyme nor reason...I couldn't... I couldn't" words failed the girl as tears overtook her._

 _Anderson realising that the girl was close to being lost to her grief forever made a mistake in his haste that he would wish for years he could take back, if only too save the poor girl's soul._

" _Use it, use it. Don't let it consume you turn it on the monsters and let it consume them"_

 _The tears did not stop, but a new sound replaced the crying, it was howling. A sound of pure rage and hate that would one day send raiders and slavers running for the hills in fear from the butcher that there savagery had birthed on that fateful day._

* * *

Arcturus station - USMI barracks - 2183

"Sir, Anderson you still with me" lieutenant commander Shepard asked, concern lining her face.

"Yeah kid, got lost in thought is all" Captain David Anderson replied, shaking the memories from his mind, the former N7 cleared his throat before continuing.

"Sorry kid, gotta gut R&R short, I've got a job for you"

The smile and response the older man received from the younger women was bloodcurdling,

"Really? Who needs killing?" Alyx 'the amazon' Shepard asked with murderous intent.

"No one, just a need to send a message." the captain replied he took a breath before continuing

"How would you like to be my new XO"

The expression on the young women's face changed from one of murder to one of joy

"Really sir, I would be honoured" the N7 marine took a step back, saluted and continued

"When and where sir"

"Tomorrow, 1300 hours, docking bay 76"

"Anything else I need to know sir?" Shepard asked, still smiling.

"Yes kid, my new ships name" Anderson replied, he too was smiling.

"And that is sir?"

"The USS Normandy"

* * *

 _A/N:_

 _Well hello readers, what brings a nice person like you too a place like this?_

 _Sorry, LOL, does anybody actually read these notes?_

 _Anyway, I'm probably more surprised than anyone else that this got an update, but you know when the winds of inspiration take you you might as well ride them._

 _Well not much more to say really, but thanks for reading tell us what you think if you'd be so kind. Just please remember that there be no beta to double check this, I'm all on my lonesome here._

 _A special thank you to everybody that's has already followed/Favorited/reviewed Quantum, I may see you all again in the future._


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